From the outside, conducting a successful capital campaign looks easy, right? You announce your plans, ask your members for money, and you reach your goal. In reality, it takes vision, specific goals, and commitment from leaders, members, and donors to achieve success.

Establish your vision

One of the first components of a successful capital campaign is vision. The vision is how your church will carry out your mission going forward. For a capital campaign, it's how you define where your organization is going and the steps you need to take to get there. Keep in mind that the members in your pews fund the benefits of your campaign, not the needs you have recognized. It's critical that everyone involved is invested in the vision and sees the benefits.

Make the case for capital improvements

Next, you need to create a document that puts the vision in writing. The church leaders, members, donors, and the community need to understand your vision, the goals of the campaign, and what it will take to reach those goals. You must transfer the ownership of the capital campaign outcome to every member in every pew.

Leaders make the difference

The key leaders within your church - the board, staff, and committee leaders - need to be on the same page. In addition, the leadership donors need to be passionate about the cause. The support and enthusiasm of these groups will trickle down to the rest of the congregation and the community.

Donors need information

Today's donors expect more information and want to understand the whole situation. You may need to create brochures, fact sheets, and other materials to inform donors and help them understand the vision so they can get behind the campaign.